Quicksilver-furnace.



No. 699,822. Patented May l3,- I902.

n. sco'r'r.

HUICKSILVER FURNACE.

(Application filed my 23, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTQI? /50/97 19% 7 9? W m 76: mrroflufm UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SCOTT, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

QUlCKSlLVER-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IEatent No. 699,822, dated May13,1902.

Application filed May 23, 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT SCOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inQuicksilver-Furnaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Generally speaking, this invention is an improvement in furnacesemployed in the reduction of the red sulfid of mercury (HgS) to themetallic state. Specifically, it is an improvement on the furnace shownin my Patent No. 183,954, the general arrangement of tile and manner ofsetting same being the subject of a separate application for a patentfiled on even date herewith under Serial No. 61,650.

As is well known by those familiar with the treatment of quicksilverores, metallic mercury is easily volatilized and separated from thegangue at temperatures considerably below redness, and cinnabar,otherwise called red sulfid, at a red heat is readily reduced to themetallic state by the action of atmospheric oxygen. In such a processthe sulfur is eliminated as sulfurous acid gas. I have learned fromyears of experience with the f urnace shown in my former patent, abovereferred to, that as the large amount of metalliferous vaporproduced,which passes upward through the slowly-descending body of ore,finally comes in contact with the upper or cold strata of fresh ore,suddenly condenses and forms a viscous mass, which very often clogs thefurnace and prevents the automatic descent of the ore. Now to providemeans for quickly clearing this upper part of the furnace as it becomesobstructed is the prime object of my present invention, in addition towhich I have so formed the upper channels of the furnace that much ofthe vapor generally lost is saved, and at the same time the temperatureof the upper strata of ore is considerably tempered, which materiallylessens the liability of clogging, above referred to.

I do not deem it necessary to represent the complete furnace, as mypresentinvention has to deal with only a portion thereof. Besides, Idirect this explanation to those only who are familiar with the furnacesnow generally used,

Serial No. 61,651. (No model.)

and especially the one shown in my former patent.

I have clearly shown my invention in the accompanying drawings, and inthe several views haveemployed like characters of reference to representlike parts.

Figure l is a vertical section of the upper portion of aquicksilver-fiu'nace having the zigzag course for the ore, as shown inmy former patent and in the application above referred to. Fig. 2 is aview taken in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectional view, reduced in size, taken in the direction of the dottedline at in Fig. 1.

The main walls 1 1 of this furnace, as well as the pigeon-walls 2 2, arearranged, as in my former patent, with oppositely-disposed Verticalflues 3 3, while the tile 4 are built into these pigeon-walls 2 2 insuch a manner one above the other as to form a zigzag course for thedescending ore. This path I have indicated by the series of dottedarrows shown in Fig. 1. The lower portion of the furnace is identical inconstruction to that shown in my former patent, while the arches 5 5',which interrupt the direct vertical ascent of the gases and compel theirmovement first in one direction and then in the opposite directionthrough the pigeonholes 6 6' and over the descending body of ore, arefully understood by those familiar with the furnaces now generallyemployed.

Having thus briefly set forth the usual construction of the furnace, Iwill now devote myself to explaining the novel features of my invention.

The tile 7, above the upper arch 5, are arranged, as are thelower tile4:, to preserve the zigzag course for the ore; but in addition they areformed with a hollow flue 8 and are built into the pigeonwalls. 2 2 insuch a manner as to form a series of communicating crossflues betweenflues 3 and 3'. Now assuming that the pigeonholes 6", leading to flue 3,are closed, as shown, it willbe seen that as the gases are finallydiverted by the arch 5 and reach the fiue 3 they are prevented fromagain directly reaching the ore body between tile 7, but are conductedthrough the crossfiues 8 into flue 3, Where they mingle with vapors fromthe upper strata of ore and are led ultimately through passage A to asuitable condensation-chamber. It will be noted that as one result fromthe passage of the gases through the hollow tile 7 the latter,

, which I preferably form of cast-iron, will bewall 1' and terminates ina cross-bar or handie 10; This rod 9 I support at suitable points bymeans of the hooks 11, which depend from the lower surface of tile 7,while between the pigeon-walls 2 2 and projecting from the rod 9 atequidistances apart are the arms or tines 12. Now it will be readilyseen that by grasping the bar 10 and drawing the rod 9 backward andforward until the tines 12 have traveled over the entire space betweenthe pigeon-walls 2 2 any interruption to the free passage of the orewill be readily removed. A further twisting of the rod 9 will cause thetines 12 to more readily loosen the ore. In Fig. 1 I have shown one ofthe tines 12, near the top of the furnace, turned upward, as justdescribed.

The tile 7, which project from the side walls of the furnace, are formedwith suitable wcbs a to facilitate their being built into the wall,while the tile adapted for setting on .the partition-wall aredouble-faced, as shown;

tion and location of parts herein shown and described.

What I claim is- 4 1. A quicksilver-furnace provided with a series oftiles over which the ore is adapted to pass, a flue formed in one ormore of said tiles and through which gases from said ore are adapted topass, and means for directing said gases from said ore to said flue forthe purpose set forth.

2. A quicksilver-furnace provided with a series of tiles over which theore is adapted to pass, one or more rods between said tiles and providedwith projecting tines, said rods being arranged for movement to agitatesaid ore for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT scor'r.

Vitnesses:

M. F. BIRD, GEORGE PATTISON.

